so - unless I'm just mistaken and don't understand how it works, i think something isn't wired quite right. i did the relay install to make my antenna go up when i start the car, which it does. the relay clicks on and all is happy........but it doesn't go down.

It should be going down when i shut the car off, correct?

if i re-start the car, it goes down a little bit, then the relay kick on and it goes back up.

 

What relay did you use-I think I'm right in saying some relays latch and require voltage on another terminal to unlatch rather than the usual "Normally open" variety.

If I'm talking nonsense then apologies in advance.

 

i went to the parts house and found a relay that had the same diagram on it as my write up for doing this did. on the relay it says "192 signal stat"
No matter what I do, I can not get the antenna to go down with the key in the off posistion, like it "should?"

 

I don't know the in's and out's of how these kits work but assuming there is a motor involved then surely you have to switch the polarity of the motor to get it to go in reverse to wind the aerial back in? Or does the motor work in timed cycles like a wiper motor for instance.

 

no, being that it works on a negative signal, one would assume that a positive signal would suck it down. - which is why when i re-start the car it starts go go back in. but it doesn't make sense that it wont went i shut the car off. I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be a constant positive?

 

I'd need to see a wiring diagram for the kit to make sense of this-is there one viewable online anywhere?

What state does the antenna go into if you disconnect power altogether-I'm guessing it just stays put where ever it is.

 

Okay looking online at various antennas they all adopt the same principal....

Permanent feed (for retraction)

Ground

Switched supply (for extension)

So without meaning to appear patronising, your permanent feed could go to the common on the relay then onto the permanent on the antenna

Your trigger from the ignition would go onto the coil terminal of the relay

And then the switched load from the relay would go onto the switch feed of the antenna.

 

so - i'd want a constant hot to the one side of the relay while the other side would be switched - so when i shut the car off side a would have juice - and when i turn the car on it switches over to side b?

I don't typically use relays, so they're kinda' new to me


remember on a rx7 up until 1992 they use a negative signal to raise.

Here's the diagram I was using. I wired it exactly like that - no such luck.

http://www.installdr.com/TechDocs/999311.pdf

 

the relay should be wired in so that when the radio is turned on it comes up and when the radio is turned off it goes down. it shouldnt be activated with switched power from the ignition switch directly.

 

+1

 

Oh. So that means I had it right, then i think. i didn't try turning the radio off while the car was on. That's boring! my radio is always on. but it's kind of a nuisance that it tries to go down then stops and goes back up when i start it.... I just may figure out how to make it go down when i shut the car off.


but that would also lead me to believe that every time i turned the car off it would go down since the radio goes off :p lol

 

The OEM wiring is designed for the antenna to go up and down with the radio switched on or off - regardless of key ignition.

If you're using an aftermarket antenna - it's easy to rewire to a more appropriate way.

http://www.jimrothe.com/mazda/antenna/index.html

 

hmm, i may have to just swap over. i'll tinker with it tomorrow after i install tail lights if it stops raining...